Possible $86M budget is very serious business!

I accepted Mayor David Robert's appointment as an Advisor for $1.00 per year to provide advice and suggestions to help with financial planning and quality of life issues important to the taxpayers and residents of the City of Hoboken. At that time I was not aware that the 2008 fiscal year budget (yet to submitted) would rise to $86 million from the current budget of $78 million.

This revelation has fortified my commitment to use my 35 plus years of experience in planning, zoning, public safety and local government finance to attempt to steer the Mayor and City Council to make prudent budgetary modifications and then for the governing body to adopt a budget that assures the citizens that their tax dollars are being used wisely.

It is the Mayor's duty to introduce the budget and for the City Council to make sure that the Business Administrator, Department and Division heads are submitting budget requests that are as cost effective as possible. With such an increase in this budget, this fully staffed council has a very difficult job ahead and it is my honor to work with them. I trust that they will listen attentively to all who participate in the process. By the way, congratulations to Councilperson Dawn Zimmer whose election victory has made the Council complete again.

I will be meeting with the Mayor, Department, Division heads and select Council Committee Chairs and coordinate my efforts with Mr. Maurice DeGennaro who is serving as an Evaluation and Efficiency Coordinator at $1.00 per year.

I urge all citizens to be concerned with the budget's bottom line; the amount of money available with the constraints put on its use and what effect the change will have on our tax rate.

Respectfully, Richard Tremitiedi, Former Fire ChiefMember - State of New Jersey - Master Planning Advisory Council (Fire) Former Member - Zoning Board of Adjustment - Weehawken, N. J. Former Member - State of New Jersey - Local Government Advisory Board (DOPE)